1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hitches for vehicles and more particularly relates to a carrier provided for supporting flexible couplings interconnected between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle.
2. Background Information
Vehicles, such as pickup trucks and the like are provided with hitches so that they may tow another vehicle, such as a trailer. A typical hitch arrangement is the receiver type hitch. The receiver type hitch includes suitable framework mounted to the frame of the pickup and has a center sleeve arranged to receive a variety of hitch adapters. A hitch adapter is mounted in the sleeve and is retained by a retaining pin. A ball is typically secured to the adapter and a trailer to be towed has a coupler on the end of its hitch suited to be secured to the ball. When secured to the ball, the coupler is permitted to pivot on the ball as the vehicles make turns, traverse over uneven terrain and the like.
Safety chains or cables are provided as safety devices on the hitch of the trailer with one chain (cable) fixedly attached to one side of the trailer hitch and another chain (cable) fixedly attached to the other side of the trailer hitch. The opposite ends of the chains (cables) are removably connected to the pickup hitch when the pickup and trailer are hitched together. It is generally recommended that the safety chains (cables) be criss-crossed below the trailer hitch when connecting the safety chains (cables) to the pickup. Thus the chain (cable) fixedly attached to the right side of the trailer hitch will be crossed under the trailer hitch and removably attached to the left of the pickup hitch. Similarly the chain (cable) fixedly attached to the left side of the trailer hitch will be crossed under the trailer hitch and will be removably attached to the right of the pickup hitch. The safety chains (cables) criss-crossed under the trailer hitch will prevent the end of the trailer hitch (coupler) from digging into the ground in the event the hitches of the pickup and the trailer become detached from each other.
The trailer most often has tail, turn and brake lights that are powered by the pickup. An electrical cable is provided on the trailer that is connectable to a receptacle on the pickup to provide power to the light system of the trailer. The receptacle is most often at a position above the hitch of the pickup and may be positioned to the left of, to the right of or directly above the hitch of the pickup.
The safety chains (cables) and the electrical cables are flexible couplings interconnected between the pickup and the trailer. The flexible couplings are not connected between the pickup and trailer in a taut condition so that they will not interfere with the pivotal connection between the hitches of the pickup and the trailer as the vehicles turn or traverse over uneven terrain. The flexible couplings thus generally are in a drooped condition.
One of the problems encountered is that the flexible couplings, whether they are the safety type or electrical, can become damaged. The safety couplings, being drooped under the hitches, may be damaged as a result of the couplings being caught between the underside of hitch and the ground on the occasion when the hitch bottoms out, that is when the hitch strikes the ground. The electrical coupling, which most often is above the hitch may become entangled between the coupler of the trailer hitch and the ball and/or the adapter of the pickup hitch.